Turkish warships will escort aid vessels to Gaza

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/turkish-warships-escort-aid-vessels-gaza-erdogan-184940018.html;_ylt=AkOIytrqdpnRjWI4Lo7lDdptzwcF;_ylu=X3oDMTRodHRwbGJ1BGNjb2RlA2dtcHRvcDIwMHBvb2xyZXN0BG1pdANOZXdzIGZvciB5b3UEcGtnA2I4NTRjNTE5LTBiZTEtM2U3Ny05YTQ2LTdhZTk2YzMxMWQwNARwb3MDNQRzZWMDbmV3c19mb3JfeW91BHZlcgM0ODM3NDgyMC1kYTU2LTExZTAtYjdlMy1jMzJlNGRiZmVjMTQ-;_ylg=X3oDMTJyNXI2OGxxBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDYjZjOWI0YzctMTFkZS0zNmU0LWFlOTMtNGFkMmU4ZGRjNDI0BHBzdGNhdAN1cwRwdANzdG9yeXBhZ2UEdGVzdAM-;_ylv=3

Turkish warships will escort aid vessels to Gaza: Erdogan

By Sami Aboudi | Reuters – 6 hrs ago

CAIRO (Reuters) - Turkey said on Thursday it would escort aid ships to Gaza and would not allow a repetition of last year's Israeli raid that killed nine Turks, setting the stage for a potential naval confrontation with its former ally.

Raising the stakes in Turkey's row with Israel over its refusal to apologize for the killings, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Al Jazeera television that Turkey had taken steps to stop Israel from unilaterally exploiting natural resources in the Mediterranean.

"Turkish warships, in the first place, are authorized to protect our ships that carry humanitarian aid to Gaza," Erdogan said in the interview, broadcast by Al Jazeera with an Arabic translation.

"From now on, we will not let these ships to be attacked by Israel, as what happened with the Freedom Flotilla," Erdogan said.

Referring to Erdogan's comments, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said: "This is a statement well-worth not commenting on."

Relations between Turkey and Israel, two close U.S. allies in the region, have soured since Israeli forces boarded the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara aid ship in May 2010.

Ankara downgraded ties and vowed to boost naval patrols in the eastern Mediterranean in the escalating row. Israel says it acted legally against ships that tried to breach its blockade on the Palestinian enclave which is ruled by the Islamist Hamas group.

Israel has said it will enforce the blockade, which it says is needed to prevent arms smuggling to Hamas.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said earlier on Thursday that Israel and Turkey will eventually mend fences rather than become foes, describing their unprecedented dispute over Gaza as "spilled milk."

Noting that an inquiry commissioned by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had vindicated the blockade, Barak predicted that wider Middle East upheaval would help bring Israel back together with its Muslim ex-ally.

"Ultimately this wave will pass. We recognize reality. They recognize reality," Barak told Israel Radio. "We are the two countries that are most important to the West in the region ... I am certain that we can overcome these (disagreements)."

But Erdogan appeared to raise the heat, saying NATO member Turkey has taken steps to patrol the Mediterranean, and vowed to stop the Jewish state from exploiting natural resources in the area.

"You know that Israel has begun to declare that it has the right to act in exclusive economic areas in the Mediterranean," Erdogan said, apparently in reference to Israeli plans to exploit offshore gas reserves found in areas that are also claimed by Lebanon.

"You will see that it will not be the owner of this right, because Turkey, as a guarantor of the Turkish republic of north Cyprus, has taken steps in the area, and it will be decisive and holding fast to the right to monitor international waters in the east Mediterranean," he said.

Turkey says oil deals granted by the Greek Cypriot government, which represents the island in the European Union, are illegal as the borders of Cyprus remain undetermined while Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots pursue reunification talks.

Turkey's plan to flex its naval muscles may fuel Western unease about Turkey's reliability as a NATO partner and its penchant for actions designed to court popularity in the Muslim world.

Asked whether Israel might yet say sorry for the seizure of the Turkish vessel, Barak said: "Look, it's spilled milk. It's not important right now."

In addition to an apology, NATO-member Turkey has demanded that Israel end the Gaza blockade. Israel says the closure is needed to keep arms from reaching Palestinian guerrillas by sea.

"A normalisation or improvement in Turkey-Israel relationships shouldn't be expected unless they apologize, pay a compensation and lift an embargo on Gaza," Erdogan said on Thursday.

[Pooky 3,791]

If Israel is made to lift the blockade by Turkish naval intervention, then the moment Palestinian terror activity increases, the body count will rise fast and Turkey will find itself drawn into the blame game for allowing more weapons into the Palestinian territories. It's not a winning strategy, unless Turkey can use some of its influence to ensure that the Palestinians don't up the violence.

NATO is unlikely to back Turkey if it comes to a firefight, partly because Greece will likely throw up as many blocks as it can, simply to annoy the Turks. Alternatively, they could use it as leverage to resolve the Cyprus issue and/or gain financial relief for its current economic woes.

Add to that there is likely to be a general unease in the NATO countries to the cost of becoming embroiled in another conflict, especially against an opponent with a modern, well-equipped military. The cost and the body count, in these times of economic austerity will likely preclude a military involvement.

I think Turkey is playing a high stakes game of bluff here. They seem to be betting on the Israelis blinking first, not shooting first. Let's hope they're right, or the body count won't be a small one.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

If Israel is made to lift the blockade by Turkish naval intervention, then the moment Palestinian terror activity increases, the body count will rise fast and Turkey will find itself drawn into the blame game for allowing more weapons into the Palestinian territories. It's not a winning strategy, unless Turkey can use some of its influence to ensure that the Palestinians don't up the violence.

NATO is unlikely to back Turkey if it comes to a firefight, partly because Greece will likely throw up as many blocks as it can, simply to annoy the Turks. Alternatively, they could use it as leverage to resolve the Cyprus issue and/or gain financial relief for its current economic woes.

Add to that there is likely to be a general unease in the NATO countries to the cost of becoming embroiled in another conflict, especially against an opponent with a modern, well-equipped military. The cost and the body count, in these times of economic austerity will likely preclude a military involvement.

I think Turkey is playing a high stakes game of bluff here. They seem to be betting on the Israelis blinking first, not shooting first. Let's hope they're right, or the body count won't be a small one.

Like you said, NATO will stay out of this one. I wonder if Turkey is really going to go through with it, or if they are just talking smack?

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

If Israel is made to lift the blockade by Turkish naval intervention, then the moment Palestinian terror activity increases, the body count will rise fast and Turkey will find itself drawn into the blame game for allowing more weapons into the Palestinian territories. It's not a winning strategy, unless Turkey can use some of its influence to ensure that the Palestinians don't up the violence.

NATO is unlikely to back Turkey if it comes to a firefight, partly because Greece will likely throw up as many blocks as it can, simply to annoy the Turks. Alternatively, they could use it as leverage to resolve the Cyprus issue and/or gain financial relief for its current economic woes.

Add to that there is likely to be a general unease in the NATO countries to the cost of becoming embroiled in another conflict, especially against an opponent with a modern, well-equipped military. The cost and the body count, in these times of economic austerity will likely preclude a military involvement.

I think Turkey is playing a high stakes game of bluff here. They seem to be betting on the Israelis blinking first, not shooting first. Let's hope they're right, or the body count won't be a small one.

I don't think there has been any proof that the ships even carry weapons so I don't see how the violence can escalate.

Edited September 9, 2011 by Sousuke

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

I don't think there has been any proof that the ships even carry weapons so I don't see how the violence can escalate.

On the flip side there is no proof that they don't.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

On the flip side there is no proof that they don't.

Well the first flotilla had "knives and clubs" according to Israel. If thats the best Israel could come up with...you know the ships had jack in the way of weapons. Let me know when they find RPGs.

My favorite RPG is Final Fantasy...

Edited September 9, 2011 by Sousuke

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Well the first flotilla had "knives and clubs" according to Israel. If thats the best Israel could come up with...you know the ships had jack in the way of weapons.

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&site=&source=hp&q=ship+found+with+weapons+cyprus&oq=ship+found+with+weapons+cyprus&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=4701l14892l0l15286l30l28l0l13l0l0l770l10263l5-10.5l15l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=ad22561d38e22c32&biw=1440&bih=775

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&site=&source=hp&q=ship+found+with+weapons+cyprus&oq=ship+found+with+weapons+cyprus&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=4701l14892l0l15286l30l28l0l13l0l0l770l10263l5-10.5l15l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=ad22561d38e22c32&biw=1440&bih=775

Iran is a different story. After all they arm Hezbollah

Edited September 9, 2011 by Sousuke

[Dan and Judy 614]

Turkey wants to play chicken

[mawilson 2,133]

They seem to be betting on the Israelis blinking first, not shooting first.

Not a wise bet, IMO.

Israel has been known to shoot first, ask questions later.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

So the Turks plan to escort the convoy ships all the to port?

How can Turkey claim to be in the right when the Israelis sink their warships in Israeli waters?

Who in their right mind thinks entering a country's sovereign waters with WARSHIPs without prior approve of that country is not an open act of aggression?

[Pooky 3,791]

I don't think there has been any proof that the ships even carry weapons so I don't see how the violence can escalate.

The thing is, they don't have to.

As Soffiya has intimated more than once, the Israelis are all for retaliatory action, so breaking the cycle of violence is most likely to fall to the Israelis not responding to a Palestinian attack. So say, for instance, that Palestinian terrorists launch a renewed rocket offensive a couple of days after a cargo ship docks in Gaza. If Israel hasn't been afforded the opportunity to inspect the cargo of any ships that offload at Gaza, then the Israeli government can claim the weapons being used arrived on the ships. Whether they actually did, or come in across the Egyptian border won't matter. There will be enough doubt about the facts, that the Turks will be cast as facilitators. Then, the next time the Turks try escorting a convoy to Gaza, Israel will likely meet them with force. The body count, as I said before, will not be small.

Turkey has a large military, but Gaza is Israel's backyard. To operate away from their bases and in immediate reach of a potentially hostile force, which has top-line equipment, is not something the Turks have faced in recent history. Acting alone, Turkey will be exposed and risks losing assets and personnel. There may be public support in Turkey now for this kind of action, but, if it develops into a firefight where Turkey is viewed as the instigator, and the body count mounts, public opinion can change quickly. And NATO won't back them up, not in the current economic climate.

If Turkey is running a bluff, they are trusting that the Palestinians don't land them in the middle of it. Any move by Hamas, the PRC, or any other group, to take advantage of the situation to try and bring Turkey into a firefight could blow up in Turkey's face very easily. On the other hand, it could serve the Palestinians well to do just that, to bring a nation that, until recently, used to be an Israeli ally, into the Middle East conflict against Israel.

Of course, all of this is worst case scenario. I hope it doesn't go down any of these roads. One more dead body is one too many, and adventurism of any sort has a nasty habit of leaving them lying around

[웃 910]

Who cares about turkey unless its thanksgiving?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

So the Turks plan to escort the convoy ships all the to port?

How can Turkey claim to be in the right when the Israelis sink their warships in Israeli waters?

Who in their right mind thinks entering a country's sovereign waters with WARSHIPs without prior approve of that country is not an open act of aggression?

Geography 101.

Nobody needs to (or even wants to) enter Israeli "sovereign" (more properly, "territorial") waters to get to Gaza.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Who cares about turkey unless its thanksgiving?

http://www.globalfirepower.com/country-military-strength-detail.asp?country_id=Turkey

Turkey Military Strength Detail by the numbers